Fiber-working process and product.



A. L. CLAPP.

HBER WORKING PROCESS AND PRODUCT.

APPLICATION man JULYIG I914 hmfifiwm I I Patented July 27,1915.

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ALBERT L, CLAPI, OF BRAINTREE, MASSACHUSETTS.

FIBER-WORKING PROCESS AND PRODUCT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 27, 1915.

Application filed July 16, 1914. Serial No. 851,347.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT L. CLAPP, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Braintree, county of Norfolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Fiber-VVor-king Processes and Products, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like numerals on the drawings representing like parts.

My present invention relates to a novel fiber product, and the process or method of working fiber, and more particularly to the expansion of sheets of fiber for use in the arts, as a plaster backing, wicker basketwork substitute, racks, shelves, novelties, etc.

The manufacture of fiber from wood pulp presents a very strong tenacious sheet of any desired thickness. Furthermore, this sheet of fiber may be rendered readily fire proof by the addition of asbestos or sodium silicate precipitation, or magnesia, such fire proofing being readily" effected by mixing with the fiber pulp in a beater during the process of manufacture. I have discovered that, by treating such fiber as it is rolled into sheets, and while still wet, pliable, and plastic, by alternately forming a plurality of cuts or slits entirely through such sheet, and then expanding the same, as by running the sheets so cut and slit over expansion devices, rollers, or the like, thus greatly .expanding the width of the original sheet, I can produce a fire proof material which, when dried and hardened, will be strong, firm, and tenacious for use in the arts.

Such an expanded fiber sheet is of special value, for example, as a fire proof plaster lath. As is well known, the ordinary wooden lath for use in plaster work, particularly in exterior plaster work, on cement buildings, houses, etc., is extremely unsatisfactory, since such plaster work has to be continually and thoroughly wet down, in order to cause a homogeneous surface and the constant expansion and contraction of the wooden lath is deleterious to the plaster wall. The use of metal or wire lath is also very unsatisfactory, as metal oxidizes and the repeated moistening operations tend to rust and disintegrate the metal, which weakens it, and quickly shows through the plaster wall in disagreeable stains and colorings. Under the influence of fire also, wooden lath quickly burns and metal lath warps, twists, and fails to hold the plaster applied thereto. My fiber lath being uniformly fire proof, water proof, and of great strength and thickness, obviates the difiiculties above mentioned, and also provides a cheap material for the uses above men tioned.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates in plan view a fragmentary section of an expanded fiber sheet, suitable for use as a fiber lath for buildings; Fig. 2 is a view in cross section of the fiber sheet, before it is expanded, and after the cuts or slits have been formed therein; and Fig. 3

is a short sectional plan View of the fiber before it is expanded.

I may use any sort of fiber desired, that being made from ordinary wood pulp being inexpensive and well suited for my process and product, particularly when said fiber is treated with a fire proofing material, as above explained. The fiber pulp being turned out in sheets 1 by any well known apparatus is at once subjected to a plurality of cutting actions, such cuts being indicated at 2 in Fig. 2, and are preferably also of equal lengths and overlapping or staggered, being spaced apart as shown in Fig. 3. This operation is performed while the fiber sheet is still wet and plastic, and preferably just after its being rolled into final sheet form. If desired, a plurality of reinforced sections 3 may be rolled in the sheet. The sheet of fiber is then led over expanding devices which will draw the entire sheet widthwise to open the cut portions 2 into openings l as illustrated in Fig. 1, this expanding action also being preferably performed as a continuous operation immediately after the cutting of the slits 2 and while the sheet of fiber material is being rolled out. .The extent of the widthwise expansion of the fiber sheet may be varied to suit different types of work, and will be also governed somewhat by the length of the slits 2 as will be readily understood. The cuts or slits 2 are also formed to leave suitable webs 5 in the completed product to give desired strength to the sheet, the reinforcing sections 3 adding thereto. The fiber sheet 1 will be held expanded or conveyed in this expanded condition until it is sufficiently set or dried to retain its shape when the hardening and drying process is completed.

I am thus enabled to provide a fire proof fiber lath which will be peculiarly suitable for plaster work and which will neither expand nor shrink with the application of moisture or the moistened plaster thereto, which will be fireproof and consequently maintain the plaster wall intact during high degree of heat, which will afford a plaster backing incapable of oxidizing, and hence will not discolor the work. Furthermore, such fiber lath may be readily affixed to studding by nails driven therethrough at any point, in much the same manner and with as great ease as is wooden lath, together with all the advantages of length, and rapidity of building construction, which is found in wire or metal lath.

WVhile a principal advantage of my improved process and product consists in affording a fire proof fiber lath, it will also be appreciated that fire proof expanded fiber shelves, partitions, and the like, may be formed therefrom, such fiber sheets being readily cut with an ordinary hand saw, knife, etc., and fitted in any manner desirable. I believe that my process of cutting and preparing fiber sheets while wet and plastic, and then expanding the same while in such wet and plastic condition, is a distinct novelty and I wish to claim the same broadly. It is also believed that an expanded fiber product is broadly new, and

that I am entitled to claim the same. It will be understood that such expanded fiber may be finished either as hard fiber or as soft fiber, it may also be molded into curved sections, corner pieces, or the like, and that it will be serviceable in "other uses than those above outlined.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desir to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The process of making expanded fiber, which consists in cutting through sheets of fiber while the same is wet and plastic, and immediately thereafter expanding the fiber sheet widthwise to open the said cuts, and holding the sheet so expanded until dried.

2. The process of making expanded fiber, which consists in making a plurality of staggered longitudinal cuts entirely through the fiber sheet while the same is wet and plastic, and immediately thereafter expanding the fiber sheet widthwise to open the said cuts, and holding the sheet so expanded until dried.

3. As an article of manufacture, an expanded sheet of fiber material, consisting of longitudinal zigzag strips integrally conneeted.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT L. CLAPP.

R. J. HERSEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O. 

